Electric-arc lamp



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. THOMSON.

l ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

PaJZL/ced Apr. 22, 1884.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. THOMSON.

ELECTRIC ARG LAMP.

. Pate ged pr Zowmofj:

(No Model.)

mili' "ll-'IHMIIIH lll-.llllllll Wiwasses f UNrrED STATES PATENT Ormea ELIHU THOMSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSON- HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAlViP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,196, dated April 22, 1884.

(No model.)

,To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it rknown that I, ELInU Ti-ronsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the combination of magnets and circuits wherebyv the proper separation and feed of the carbons in an electricarc lamp are effected, and is more especially designed to furnish a simple and effective lamp in which the proper feed-regulating operations shall progress under the regulating action of a derived-circuit coil only acting in opposition to a suitable retractor. In another application for patent filed by me January 4, 1884, No. 116,405, I have described a lamp in which an auxiliary or starting coil of low resistance in circuit with the carbons is employed for bringing the feed mechanism of the lamp into proper feed-regulating position,

and is then automatically cut out and kept out, so that the feed-regulating operations may progress under the control ofthe derived-circuit coil alone. In said application I have shown and claimed a mechanically-controlled circuit-closer for effecting a continued cut-out of the starting-coil, and have also claimed the broad combination consisting of the startingcoil in the circuit with the carbons and means for cutting out said coil automatically at the proper point and holding it cut out while the lamp is in action, so that the feed may progress under the control of the derived-circuit magnet only.

My present invention relates more especially to an improved means of keeping the cut-out circuit ofthe starting-coil, arranged as stated, closed, and it consists, broadly, in the combination, with such cut-out circuit, of a coil or magnet or other device, whereby the magnetizing or heating effects of thc current may be utilized for preserving the eut-out circuit.

My invention consists, also, in certain novel combinations of devices, that will be specified more .particularly in the claims.

In carrying out my invention any desired form or construction of feed-regulating mechanism may be employed, consisting either of a clutch, a-gear-train, or other device. In the present case I have shown a clutch, and I have illustrated my invention as applied to the same general construction that I have illustrated in my application before referred to.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of an electric lamp embodying one form of my present invention. Figs. 2, 3, and 4L illustrate modifications of the invention. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate forms of the lamp-magnet. effects of the current may be made to operate the switch.

K indicates a coil of high resistance in -a derived circuit around the carbons, and acting, by means of a core and armature, B, upon a lever, L, in opposition to a retracting-sprino, S, or other retractor. These parts are of any desired construction, and are designed to control the position of the carbons in any usual way. The armature may be a perforated armature and the pole end of the core conoidal, as shown, and as described in a patent already issued to me, for the purpose of giving a uniform magnetic pull in all positions of the armature for the same strength of current. The parts might be otherwise constructed or arranged to give the same result. The above is the preferred construction. The lever L, through a link, D, or otherwise, gives motion to a feed-controlling mechanism of any desired kind-such, for instance, as a clamp or clutch properly arranged to raise the carbon when the retractor S prevails, and to permit a release of the carbon when, through an increase of arc length, the coil K receives an increased proportion of the current, and its magnetic effects consequently prevail over the retractor. I have herein shown the lever as acting on a clutch or clamp such as is contained in prior patents granted to me, and consisting, briefly, of a clamp or clutch body, C, through which the carbon or carbon-carrier It passes, and a clamping toc or jaw, T,

pivoted on the body C, and normally held by a spring, Z, against the carrier or carbon, so as to prevent the same from moving downward through the body C. i

F is the usual releasing-stop, arranged in the path of an arm extending from the toe T, so

Fig. 7 shows how the heating as to release the latter and permit the carbon to feed when the magnet or coil l is sufficiently energized, owing to increase in the length of arc.

H is an auxiliary stop arranged in the path of the clamp or clutch, to permit a release oi' the carbon when the armature B and lever L are drawn back or retracted to an abnormal extent in the opposite direction by the spring S. The stop H is placed at such a point that during ordinary or normal movements of L in adjusting the carbons the stop will not strike it, (the clampg) but when the currentis turned oli' and the rctractor pulls the lever toits extreme position the clamp is released by H, and remains released, so that at again starting the lamp the carbons will be in contact.

G- indicates the auxiliary or starting coil, wound in the present caseupon the same core with K, and in the same direction, so as,when current ilows in it, to assist the coil K in pulling the lever L down into proper position to start the lamp. The coil G might be on a separate core, as indicated in Fig. 5, aud act upon the saine armature or another armature connected to L, or other device controlling the i'eed mechanism.

The placing ol" the assisting-coil upon the same core with the derived-circuit coils and in circuit with the carbons is elaimedin my prior application before referred to-in an application iiled by 1E. XV. Rice and myself as joint inventors January 3, 18S-l, No. 116,300.

The magnet formed by the core of coils K and G- might obviously be a horseshoe-magnet, as indicated in Fig. The coil G is in a circuit, i3, with the earbons, as indicated, while the derived circuit et' coil K is indicated by the numeral 5, which is a circuit around the earbons, as is obvious. rl`he positive and negative conductors ol' the main eircuit are indicated by X fr. The coil G- is shunted or cut out by means olf a suitable circuit-controller, consisting in the present inA stance oi' alever, L, which in Fig. l is o'perated by projections M, attached to or `l'ormed upon a rod, D', extending upward :from the link l). rlhe upper one of the projections M is elastic, it' preferred an d is properly arranged to strike the lever L and depress it against the action oi' a spring, S, so as to complete a eut-out circuit by the contacts Q when the le ver L is lowered from an extreme retracted po sition to such a point that the clamping-toed? is relieved i'rom engagement with the rod lt by the stop F. The circuit completed by contacts Q is a cutout circuit of low resistance around the coils (t, and includes the coils of an electro-magnet, J, which acts upon an armature attached to the lever L, and serves in obvious manner to keep the contacts Q closed during action oi" the lamp. rlhe lower of the projections M is arranged so that during the ordinary feed-regulating movements ot' lever L it will not impingc upon lever L. When,

however, the lever is reti-acted to its extreme position by the action of spring S, said pro jection will strike lever L and open the contacts Q', if they have not already been opened by the action of the spring S. rlhe l'orm ol' the circuit-closer is immaterial, as is also the manner of mounting or arranging the devices whereby the lever shall be actuated to close the contacts simultaneously with the movement of lever L under the action ol' the cur rent in coil G.

rlhe operation is as follows: When no current is passing through ihe lamp, the parts are in the position shown in `the ligure. The jaw l is released by stop ll, so that the rod R is free, and the contacts Q' are held open by the spring S or the lower ot' the projections M. "Vhcn the current is turned on, the current flows through coil G, which is ol low resistance, and draws down the lever L against the act-ion ot' retractor.' S, thus lowering the clutch away from stop ll and into engagement with the stop F. Simultaneously wi .-h such enga-gement the upper projection M brings the contacts (3, together, thus shunting the coil G, which thereafter remains shunted, because the magnet J holds the con tacts Q closed. The influence oll coil G is now no longer felt, and the clutch is let't to the control ot' the derived-circuit coil li and retraetor S, which latter lifts the clutch andthe rod lt, separat ing the earbons to a point where the ell'ects ot' the current in coil lli balance the retractor. The -l'eed is produced in obvious and wellknown manner by the increased action ot' coil K, due to increase in length ot' are, said coil then acting to lower the clutch until a release ot' the rod R is produced. lhe stop ll is, as before stated, placed at such a height that during the ordinary feed-controlling opera tions the clutch will not engage with it. 1When, however, the lever L is retracted to an extreme position, the clutch is released by said stop and the carbons run together, ready i'or a new operation. ln Fig. 2 the parts are so arranged that when t-he contacts Q, are closed, the stop ll, which is here supported by lever L', is removed, so that it cannot produce a release of the carbon alter the lamp starts into action. ln other respects the construction and arrangement will be obvious from an inspection of the ligure. ln Fig. 8 mechanical devices -for producing the closure ol` the shuntcontacts Q when the coil (l acts are dispensed with, and circuit-closing devices Q, actuated by lever L, employed in their place. These contacts primarily close the circuit through magnet J at the proper point in the downward movement ol" the clutch, and said magnet, being energized, innnediately closes the shuntcontacts and holds them closed, thus keeping coil. G cut out, and permitting the lever L to move backward and :t'orward in the reed-regulating operation and to break the circuit at Q. without deranging the apparatus. ln this ease the parts must be so adjusted that the contacts (0, will not be closed until the clutch has been released by the stop F; otherwise the contacts at Q would .have to be IIO made elastic, soas not to limit the downward movement of the lever.

In Fig. et the magnet J is carried by the lever L, land the circuit-closing lever Ll is placed beneath said magnet,and is free to swing on a pivot and with the lever L. In this case one of the contacts, Q, is carried by the lever L, and the shunt is closed thereby when the lever L descends to a determinate point, thus closing the shunt around Gand through magnet J. Magnet J is thus energized and attracts armature N,securcd to L', thus maintaining the contact at Q', after which the armature N, contacts Q', magnet J, and lever L move together as one piece and act in all respects as in Fig. l. It is important here that the retraction in forming the arc be less than suflicient to cause T to strike II. By connecting II to the circuit-closing lever, as in Fig. 2, this precaution is not required. The shuntcontacts Q and circuit through J should be of such low resistance as compared with that of the coil G as to effectually render inactive the said coil G when the contact Q is closed.

In another application for patent filed by me January S, 1884-, No. 116,746, I have claimed, broadly, a starting-circuit, a circuit-controller, whereby the flow of current in the starting-circuit may be governed,said controller being actuated by the regulating armature or lever of the lamp,or by other device moving therewith, and au electro-magnet, whose circuit is at the same time opened or closed, keeping the circuitv closed by the circuit-closer in proper condition while the lamp operates. I therefore make no such broad claim in this case. In this specification I have described how the desired movements or control of the parts m ay be secured by electro-magnets-that is, by the magnetizing effects of an electric current; but I wish it to be understood that I regard as an equivalent of such devices any device responding to the heating effects of the current-as,for instance, a thermostat or any other means whereby the effects of an electric current may be transformedinto mechanical energy. In my claims, therefore, although I have specified electromagnets and electro-magnetic coils, because these devices offer the best known means of producing the desired mechanical operations, I wish it to be understood that under such claims Iimean to include any and all equivalent devices-as, for instance, well known thermostatic devices, whereby mechanical effects, varying or not, may be obtained from an electric current, varying or constant.

Fig. 7 of the drawings illustrates how the heating effects of the current in the startingcircuit may be made to do the same work as the magnetizing effects. In this instance the coil G is inclosed in a chamber containing an expansible gas or liquid, which acts upon a piston so as to move the lever L in obvious manner when the current passes through coil G and heats the same. In this instance the coil G is a resistance-coil; but it is placed in circuit and its circuits are controlled in vwhen the feed mechanism has been brought to normal or feed-regulating position, and an electro-magnetic coil in the shunt-circuit for holding said shunt-circuit closed.

3. The combination, in an electric lamp, of a starting coil or magnet in the carbon circuit, a shunting device for shunting said coil when the feed mechanism has been brought to a predetermined position, and a c oil or magnet in the shunting-circuit for acting on said shunting device and keeping the shunting-circuit closed while the lamp is in operation.

et. The combination, in an electric lamp, of a derived-circuit regulating-magnet, an assisting-coil for assisting the same in' pulling the regulating-lever from lan extreme retracted position to a normal or feed-regulating position,

a shunting device for shunting said coil when the lever has reached a predetermined position, and a magnet or coil in the shunt-circuit for holding the latter closed, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, in an electric lamp, of a derived-circuit regulati 11g-magnet, feed-regulating mechanism having stops or releasing devices which release' the same at either eX- treme of movement, a starting coil or circuit, means for rendering said coil or circuit ineffective when the feed-regulating armature is moved from an extreme retracted position, and a magnet or coil for keeping said coil or circuit inoperative, as and for the purpose described. v

6. The combination, in an electric lamp, of ahigh-resistance derived-circuit feed-regulating magnet, an auxiliary coil in circuit with the carbons for moving the feed-regulating mechanism to a p oint from which it may,whe11 retracted, raise the upper carbon, means for automatically cutting out said coil and holding it cut out, so that the operations of forming the arc and controlling the feed'niay progress under the control of the derived-circuit magnet only, and a coil or magnet in the cutout circuit for holdingthe cut-out circuit closed 7. The combination, in an electric lamp, of a feed-regulating-magnet core carrying two coils-one in a derived circuit of high resistance around the carbons and the other in a circuit with the carbons-means for shunting said latter coil when it shall have brought the feedregulating mechanism into normal position for separating the carbons, and a magnet in IOO the shunt-circuitfor holding said shunt-circut closed.

S. The combination, in an electric lamp, of a fecd-regulating-magnet core carrying two coils-one in a derived circuit around the carbons and the other in a circuit with the carbons-feed-regulating mechanism which per mits a release of the carbon when no current is circulating in the derived-circuit coils, as well as when said coils carry an increased proportion ol" current due'to lengthening of the are, a circuit controller or switch actuated directly or indirectly by the feed-regulating lc ver when the same is operated by means ofthe coil in the carbon circuit, for cutting out said coil when the feed-regulating devices reach their extreme of movement, and an electromagnet in the cut-out circuit for acting on the circuit-controller and keeping it in proper positionwhile the current 'lloWs through the carbons.

9. The combination, in an electric lamp, of the two coils K G, Wound and connected as described, an armature-lever actuated by the core of said coils, a clutch carried by said level-,and provided with upper and lower-releasing-stops, a cnt-out circuit-closer for shunting said coil G, means for mechanically acting on said circuit-closcr when the ar1naturelever is drawn forward and when it is abnormally retracted, so as to open or close the cut-out circuit, and a coil in the eut-ont circuit, and aeting on said circuit-closer, as and for the purpose described.

l0. The combination, in an electric lamp whose carbons are at the start in contact, of a starting-coil in circuit with said carbons, and means ler autoniatically shunting or cutting out said coil when the feed mechanism has been brought by the action oi" said coil into the proper feed-regulating or carbon-separat ing position, and a magnet in the cutout circuit for holding the same closed, as and i'or the purpose described.

Signed at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State ol" Massachusetts, this 21st day of De cember, A. D. 1833. l

\Vitnesses:

IE. 'WILnUn Rien, 'HARRY B. Roem-1s.

iro 

